Hopium Machina

The deployment of a new energy generally implies the arrival of new companies. This is the case of the French start-up Hopium, the “First French manufacturer of high -end hydrogen vehicles” as the company itself indicates.

Hopium Machina

Hopium Machina is a four -door sports car with hydrogen fuel cell technology, weight less than two tonnes, at least 500 hp and a range of more than 1,000 km. The order book is open for deliveries scheduled for late 2025.

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If electricity tends to democratize, this is less the case with hydrogen. However, many manufacturers are interested in this energy which could be, in a few years, The main alternative to 100 % electric cars.

Toyota and Hyundai currently offer cars powered by a fuel cell, while BMW also plans to interfere in this market in a few years. Conversely, some manufacturers, such as Volkswagen, judge technology too complex to deploy and too ineffective and bet everything on electricity.

The deployment of a new energy generally implies the arrival of new companies. This is the case of the French start-up Hopium, the “First French manufacturer of high -end hydrogen vehicles” as the company itself indicates.

An ambitious French brand

Hopium is led by the pilot Olivier Lombard, winner in 2011 of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, but his only product remains for the moment a prototype, the Hopium Machina. It is an opulent hydrogen sedan whose power would be at least 500 hp and the autonomy of around 1,000 km. For the moment, the brand has not said much more about technical specificities, but in terms of style, the machine impresses.

Its series version should arrive in 2025 and, good news, The French company has decided to produce its car in France, And more precisely in Normandy, on the side of Vernon. Hopium intends to employ “Over 1,500 people” On this site, ultimately made up of a factory with an annual production capacity of 20,000 vehicles and a research and development center.

With such a production capacity, Hopium should ultimately present another vehicle than the Machina, less expensive and consequently to the higher sales volume.

Hydrogen, how it works ?

Hydrogen has the advantage of only emitting water vapor, This makes it one of the main tracks to replace hydrocarbons, in the same way as summary fuels. The European Union will notably set up a new public bank dedicated to the development of hydrogen, capable of investing three billion euros.

However, as stated above, hydrogen is not necessarily the energy on which everyone put. Indeed, experts and industrialists are divided into the place of hydrogen in the decarbonation of the automotive sector.

Its production is energy -consuming and largely dependent on fossil fuels, While the lack of distribution stations is also a brake on its development. This energy interests, for the moment, essentially industries dedicated to utilities and heavy goods vehicles. But also at boats and planes.

Hopium Machina

Based on a dedicated platform, the Hopium hydrogen car has not yet revealed all its secrets. Driven by a 500 horsepower engine, it feeds from a fuel cell generating electricity from hydrogen. This battery, whose power and the supplier have not been revealed, is located at the front of the vehicle.

Given the characteristics announced, the performance will obviously be there. The manufacturer, who is testing his prototypes today, aims for a top speed of 230 km/h.

Hopium Machina autonomy

Machina hopium draws its energy from two hydrogen tanks. Installed in the form of “T” under the chassis and provided by the French equipment supplier Plastic Omnium, they embark 6 kilos of hydrogen under 700 pressure bars.

In terms of autonomy, the manufacturer announces a provisional figure of 1,000 km.

Price and marketing of machina hopium

Available in pre -order, the Hopium hydrogen car is expected by 2025. It will be industrialized in Normandy where the manufacturer plans to build a factory which ultimately mobilizes some 2000 employees.

Targeting a high -end market, the machine will obviously not be within the reach of all budgets. On its website, the manufacturer announces a sale price of more than 120,000 euros. It can be pre-served on the manufacturer’s site for a first payment of 656 euros.

Hopium Machina – Technical sheet

Power	500 hp / 386 kW
0 – 100 km/h	5 seconds
Hydrogen tanks	700 bars – 6 kilos
Autonomy	1000 km

Dimensions

Length	4.90 m
Width	nc
Height	1.40 m
Number of places	5

Price and availability

Price	120,000 euros
Marketing	2025

Hopium Machina news

Hopium: the French hydrogen car does the show at the Mondial de l’Auto

Hopium Machina: the French hydrogen car opens its doors to us

Hopium: the French hydrogen car exceeds 1,000 orders

Hydrogen car: Hopium reveals its first demonstrator

Hopium hydrogen car at start -up

Faced with significant losses, the French start-up must dismiss and start in search of funds.

Posted January 28, 2023 at 05:15 am, modified on January 28, 2023 at 06:52

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Barely launched, the Hopium adventure, the French manufacturer of hydrogen electric cars, is already looking for a second breath. Confronted with the accelerated pace of its expenses, the absence of turnover – its first model, the Machina, is not expected before 2025 – and the sudden reluctance of the markets, the brand, which is dreaming in tesla Hydrogen, must urgently review its roadmap.

Hopium, which recorded a loss of 9.5 million euros in the first half of 2022 and whose stock market price increased from 28 euros to 4.70 euros in eighteen months, will separate from thirty of its 142 employees and go in search of new funding.

The company, which, in December 2022, appointed Sylvain Laurent, who came from Dassault Systems, to the post of Managing Director-the company had inducted last year Jean-Baptiste Djebbari, former Minister of Transport, to the presidency of his council administration – said, tackling a rebalancing phase. Its leaders recognize that expenses, in particular the payroll, have grown too quickly and that the company has not obtained the funding it expected. Hopium, which has already raised nearly 70 million euros, estimates that it should mobilize 200 million euros in the next two to three years.

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The manufacturer says he is open to the arrival of new industrial partners to which he could “Locker”. It also counts on aid in the Normandy region – scheduled in Douains (Eure), the construction of a pompous factory called “the manufacture of the future” is not called into question – and on those of the State, which provides to invest 9 billion euros in the hydrogen sector by 2030.

Winds

In parallel, the industrial strategy of Hopium will evolve. There is no longer any question of sticking to the production of Machina alone, a luxury sedan with a power of 500 horsepower and an autonomy of 1,000 kilometers, which should be billed 120,000 euros. The company intends to enhance the fuel cell – capable of producing electricity from the hydrogen on board the car – which it has developed.

This could be marketed or produced under license to car manufacturers, heavy goods vehicles, light utilities, bus, even rail equipment. The start-up, which ensures having “Two years ahead of its competitors”, does not exclude that its fuel cell can generate income in 2024, despite the very active competition of large manufacturers and equipment manufacturers that will have to be faced.

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